About Tao
Tao and Taoism are two different things :
Tao is the natural order of all things, it is "the Way" all things go.
Taoism is the practice of the natural order of all things.
Humanity's task is to recognize and become aligned with "the Way all things go".
Taoism is the study and the practice of the Way all things go.
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Taoism is hard to understand.
The study and the practice is to decrease day by day.
That's it.
Buddhism, Confucianism,Taoism are the three pilars of Chinese civilisation.
The three vinegar tasters : Buddha, Confucius and Lao Tse
they represent the three major philosophical traditions in China.
Buddha tastes the vinegar and has no expression, Confucius scowls,
Lao Tse smiles.
HAPPY SERENITY
The three vinegar tasters are representative of 'the Three Teachings of China'. The three teachings are one,
the three jewels, love, moderation and humility are one, and the three chakra's, lower, middle and upper chakra are one.
Buddha saw life as bitter, Confucius saw life as sour, Lao Tse saw life as it is in its natural state. Life can be sweet
when utilized for what it is, nature is not a setter of bitter traps (Buddhism) and sour rules (Confusianism).
Life may be bitter or sour, how can we be anything but sweet and kind. Lao Tse's inner peace starts with a sweet smile,
he simply accepts vinegar for what it is : it's vinegar. He has no expectations. Most people go trough life expecting
certain things, but it is a most liberating experience when we are able to live life with an attitude of no expectations
and no regrets. The best things in life are unexpected because there were no expectations. In the beginners mind, there
are many possibilities, so many expectations. In Lao Tse's mind there are very few. The vinegar dilemma is a well known
bitter-sour/sweet yin-yang dilemma. Finally it's a koan. So what, the Supreme Ultimate Tao is undifferent to human affairs,
possibilities, expectations and desires. Expectations are simply another form of false hope, and no one should give up hope.
Following the Way of Tao leeds to happy serenity
Anger comes from frustrated ambitions and expectations. One of the most noticeable qualities of the Taoist personality is
'happy serenity and a subtle sense of humor'. It strongly makes the Taoist point that unpleasant experiences need not be
expunged, but can be enjoyed as an integral part of the natural flow of things. The Taoist accepts the unpleasant parts of
a stuation as well as the pleasant parts. Taoism offers the idea that the Tao is balanced state, everything has his own
place and function. What you resist, persists, when you are constantly classifying, expecting, labeling and evaluating you
create a lot of turbulence in your mind. Don't idealize the great art of Tai Chi Chuan, it's Tai Chi Chuan, it will never
live up to your expectations. Be happy with your form, your form is a form. Behind the world of forms, there is a timeless
level, there is the world of essence. Your form is only the birthplace of essence. It's the place where body and mind come
together, you cannot expect the form (body) before the idea (mind), for body and mind will come into being together.
Everything is always changing, go with the flow. The result of this harmonious way is a 'happy serenity' (rather than
happiness, following the Tao leads to 'happy serenity'). Accept failure, Lao Tse accepts vinegar, it's vinegar, things he
cannot change. The Taoist accepts things he cannot change, has the courage to change things he can change, has the wisdom
to know the difference. If he can change things, what is the need of worrying, if he can't change things, what is the
point of worrying?
Everything is always changing.
Happy serenity is a balanced state of mind.
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Happy serenity is a balanced state of mind, your inner peace starts with a smile. By means of tranquility the murky
becomes claer, by means of intuitive understanding the dark becomes bright. In your Tai Chi practice the still becomes
alive. Accept failure (vinegar) and succes (sugar). Don't concentrate on the definition of the Tao. Do not follow the way
of the Tao. Don't seek to arrive anywhere. Don't interfere. Don't force things, don't try to direct.
Don't interfere.
Don't follow changes, be the change.
Don't follow the flow, be the flow. Don't follow the Way, be the Way.
If you live spontaniously in harmony with nature, you are the flow and the Way.
The Taoist attitude is one of reverence, circumspection and... happy serenity.
And now : welcome home !
Welcome to the world of essence. Welcome to the Tao.
Heaven and Earth are one.
All things are one.
Tao is the Chinese perception of the unifying soul of all things.
So,
"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao".
Lao Tse , Tao Te Tsing:
Chapture 1
The Tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal name
Chapture 2
The unnamable is the eternally real
Naming is the origin of all particular things
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
* There are over 300 translations of this text and the number is constantly rising. Few translations of the Tao Te Tsjing
are ultimately less satisfying. "Way-making (Dao or Tao) that can be put into words is not really way-making." Etc...
* Ludwig Wittgenstein : "What can be said at all can be said clairly and what we cannot talk about we must pass over
in silence."
* Moon landing was pretty easy to do, we did it. Fully understanding each other is not an easy thing to do. I'm not here to
say: "Do it this way." But after all we can show what we can't say.
* Every character which characterizes either a concrete thing or a concrete individual is particular and not universal.
It's not OK to give words the meaning or meanings which we may think they ought to bear, and then... discuss whether the view
or views they express is true or false.
* Ludwig Wittgenstein : "Names are pure references" and: "The limits of our language are the limits of our world."
Therefore : "If a lion could talk we couldn't understand them.
Further: "The world of the happy is quite different from that of the unhappy."
Even : "If all possible scientific questions would be answered, the problems of life still have not been touched at all.
But of course then there is no question left, and just this is the answer."
Well, this is great, thanks!!
Statue of Lao Tse in Quanzhou.
Lao Tse (Lao Zi,'the old master') was said to be a contemporary of
Confucius (551-479 before Jesus Christ)
Tao does not speak. Tao does not blame or condemn.
Tao has no expectations. Tao demands nothing of others.
Tao has no rules of conduct. Tao does not hate or love you.
Tao has no fatwa. Nor 72 virgins.
Tao does not promise.
Now to the point: Tao is not Jewish.
Joseph Campbell:” If you can see your path laid out in front of your step,
you know it 's not your path.
Your own path you make with every step you take.
That’s why it is your path."
Tao means: "The Way".
Science is organized knowledge.
Taoism I think must be the ancient Chinese knowledge about organisation.
Tao: the Way
The holistic three stroke way of Tao:
1° The way all things go. (=Tao)
2° The way we have to go. (=Tao - Te Tao)
3° The way we have to go in our own way. (=Te Tao)
Tao(The Way) cannot be definite exactly.
Taoist philosophers spoke of” The Way of Tao”
in metaphysical-mystical terms as
"The Source and essence of Absolute Reality".
Taoism not only refers to the way to go,
to the way that lies behind us.
Taoism refers to what lies inside us.
But to improve the spirit of 'the Way'
we should not only be alone but not be hurried either.
With feet on the same side
Lao Tse appears seated on the back of a water-buffalo, patient,
kindly, as a symbol of his penetrating, fluid and benevolt wisdom.
Lao Tse
The water-buffalo* is
the indomitable symbol of his humble simplicity and spiritual strength.
* The Taoist strives to be free of desire, simple and pure in tune with the natural order and the way of all things.
* The water buffalo, -associated with stomach, heart and liver merideans-, stands for longlivity, wisdom, diligence,
reliability, sincerity, strength, intelligence and no-nonsense. But don't expect this good souls to have a sparkling
sense of humor. It's not part of their package.
In Taoism there are no Cartesian dual contradictions.
Taoism is both, religion and philosophy,
in Taoism there is no contradiction between religion
(re-ligere, re-ligare) and philosophy.
There is no contradiction between practice and theory,
between action and non action.
In Taoism there is no organised doctrine,
there is no formalized cultic activity nor institutional leadership.
We should go the Way, alone and on our own way...
'Wuwei - Tzu - jan' means non action.
Doing by doing nothing on the right moment rather than the use of force
Nature is the one and only Taoistic teacher.
Tai Chi Chuan is the representation of some Taoistic ideals.
The core business of Tai Chi Chuan is naturalness, harmonizing the mind and the body, vitality, peace,
emptiness, detachment, the strength of softness, receptiveness, spontaneity, balance and flexibility.
As far as I think
Taoism opts out of the classical objective/subjective dialogue in favour of communal version of natural truth.
Taoism claims to dissolve so-called philosophical problems
instead of solving them
by showing that they are in fact pseudo problems
that only exist in the language game.
Taoism claims that philosophy must get past pseudo-problems
if it is to be productive.
Ludwig Wittgenstein and Lao Tse seem to have something in common.
"Wovon man nicht sprechen kan, darüber muss man schweigen".
Wittgenstein Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
Ludwig Wittgenstein and Confusius seem to have something in common.
"What can be said, can be said clairly. The language defines the limit,
beyond that limit is nonsense".
Wittgenstein, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus
Tao is the Chinese perception of the universal unifying soul of all things.
The universal soul always escape the net of anyone theory of the spirit.
Soul looks on with amusement and despair as theories compete acrimoniously
for the right to be the only true story.
This can take 5 minutes to discover, but a life time to grasp:
1. Taoism is a whole-system approach.
Tao always escapes the net of any single theory, it looks with amusement as theories compete for the right to be the true
story. Taoism is a whole-system approach, Heaven and Earth are two aspects of the same thing. Taoism preaches that the
Universe is a living Yin-Yang system that is creative in nature. Everything is always changing, the world of our
experience is constantly transforming. Our experience of the material world is relative to perspective and perception.
This enables us to see clearly (Ming), to act spontaneously (Tzu-Jan) and unobtrusively (Wuwei). It can take 5 minutes to
discover, but a lifetime to grasp.
2. Language.
Language defines the limit, beyond that limit is nonsense. Don't talk too much, just do the form, your philosophy is
'word game' playing. Philosophical disputation is a somewhat futile enterprise, here you can have plenty of fun with words,
but... But: "Right" and "Wrong" cannot be determined by logical arguments, they are relative to each other. Taoists do
not see things in terms of good or bad, right or wrong, they see things in terms of yin-yang changes, in terms of
responsability. It can take 5 minutes to discover, but a life time to grasp.
3. Yin-Yang harmony / Changes and Transformations.
Yin and Yang are two opposite but complementary forces that govern the entire universe. They reflect duality, nothing
exists without its opposite. Yin and Yang are relative to each other, all things are relative to all other things.
Practicing Tai Chi Chuan without understanding some Taoistic principles, not knowing the intent turns Tai Chi Chuan into
an exercise or a dance, better take a walk. Every part of the human body can be categorized as either Yin or Yang in
relation to the other part. Practicing the form you can distinguish not only between Yin and Yang of hand and foot, but
also between both hands and feet. It can take 5 minutes to discover, but a life time to grasp.
4. Happy serenity and peace of mind.
Relative stability and serenity can be attained when a harmony is reached between Yin and Yang which are said opposite but
related natural power fields of the universe. Taoism points that capitalism, consumentism and socialism over-emphasize
material prosperity while ignoring inner harmony, happiness and peace of mind.
"It can take 5 minutes to discover but a life time to grasp". That's what I've learned of the Tao Te Ching.
Taoist classics: About the way.
Beyond the gate of experience flows the Way
which is ever greater and more subtle than the world.
Lao Tse -Tao Te Tsjing.
Taoist classics: About authority.
We may admit that our groping is often inspired,
but we must be aware of the belief, however deeply felt,
that our inspiration carries any authority, divine or otherwise.
Karl Popper.
Taoist classics: About the way of heaven and earth
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
than are dreamt in your philosophy;
W. Shakespeare.
One who sees the sky reflecting in the water
is able to see fish in trees.
(Chinese proverb)
Taoistic Classics: Taoistic classics: about 'the way'.
The way that can be experienced is not true.
The world that can be constructed is not true.
Beyond the gate of experience flows the Way
witch is even greater and more subtle than the world.
Lao Tse -Tao Te Tsjing.
About the known and the unknown
The known is finite, the unknown is infinite.
T.H. Huxley
About Tao
To those who have conformed themselves to the Way
the Way readily lends its power.
To those who conformed themselves to the power
the power readily lends more power.
Lao Tse
ABOUT TAOISM and THE CONCEPT OF GOD
Taoism is 'the religion of Heaven and Earth' but we can also say Taoism isn't a religion because there isn't anything
a Daoist must believe. Western religions are more antropocentric, yet none of them give human unchecked domination over
nature in satisfying their desires. Their various visions of a transcendent creator place upon humans the responsability
of being co-stewards of the environment their God has provided for their use. The active domination of nature may not
have been the intend, but some religions are more open to such interpretations in ways Taoism is not.
All of the religions show an enlightened understanding of our human duties to the environment. In Christianity the
result is love, In Taoism the result is harmony, regularity and rythm, and this spontanious action is described by Taoists
as Wuwei (non action). It is also called Tzu-jan (spontaneity). The Chinese word for Nature is Tzu-Jan and translated to
english it means "of itself so". So, in Taoism there is no transcendent creator, nature is of itself so. Nothing exists
truly in itself or of itself, but requires everything to be what is to exist.
In Taoism all things in nature, including humans are said to be 'empty of any essence or self-existence'.
All existence arises from relations of interdependence with the rest of the cosmos. All human interactions with nature
occurs within this context. Humans are seen to exist not separate from nature, but only within their interrelationship
with the whole of Nature. The ancient Chinese never developed a concept of God and they never saw nature as something that
was responding to a cosmic boss. They saw Nature as something that was self perpatuating, following a pattern of supreme
intelligence called Tao. They saw how Nature gave everything an opportunity to succeed and they understood that if they
followed the course of Nature the same realities would be experienced. Tao differs from a biblical view of God, the
greatest difference is that Tao is impersonal whereas the Christian God is personal. Tao is an energy, a force, the
Christian God is a personal being and most of us realize that the ultimate reality cannot be both, personal and impersonal.
That's OK, but that 's still a dualistic (western) way of thinking. As both a Christian and a friend of Tao I think, if
God exists, God must be both, personal and impersonal.
God must be the Supreme Ultimate Complementarity, as both full and empty (see item About talking about God). Good and evil,
yin and yang, moral relativism and moral objectivism are complementary. A key to enlightenment could be transcending this
western sort of dualistic concept of thinking, I think so. "See the children and the flowers".
Taoists, Christians, Boeddhists, they all saw that even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness. How do we
deal with darkness, with light?
The Taoist says: "Wisdom is the supreme part of happiness, like in nature when one door
of happiness closes another opens but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been
opened for us". Don 't worry about happiness, be happy. "When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or
compete, everyone will respect you" (Lao Tse). Most beautiful flowers and animals are content with what they are, so to
find the answers of all mysteries of life, Taoists simply looked to the most reliable thing they knew: Nature.
Nature decrees that we do not exceed the speed of light and all other impossibilities are optional. The ancient Daoist
view of reality is remarkably consistent with current scientific knowledge, Taoists believed that we live a life in
unhappiness when we don't see things as they are. Life is just a bow with which we experiment with the truth, and the
biggest challenge is being yourself in a world trying to make everyone like everyone else.
Nature is silence in motion, if the Taoist does not enjoy solitude he will not love freedom. The ideal attitude is to be
physically loose and mentally tight. Succes and failure are relative to each other, like in nature all things are relative
to all other things.
In Tai Chi Chuan succes doesn't make us and failure doesn't break us.